Taste-modifying ingredient

ABSTRACT

Use of 7-[4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl) oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-5-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)chromen-4-one (rhoifolin) as a taste modifying ingredient in order to reduce bitterness and/or increase sweetness of a foodstuff or beverage.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a taste-modifying ingredient. Theinvention further relates to the use of the taste-modifying ingredientsin a foodstuff and a taste-modifying composition comprising thetaste-modifying ingredient.

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART

Sugar is a popular sweetening additive in human food preparation. Bysugar is understood sucrose but also other commonly used calorie richsweetening additives such as glucose, fructose and high fructose cornsyrups. Popular feeding habits tend to show an over consumption of sugareven though it is well established that this is a known cause of variousadverse effects on health, the most common including tooth decay andobesity.

To date, various products have been proposed which seek to address theseproblems. For instance, artificial high intensity sweeteners have beendeveloped which deliver a sweet taste at very low doses. Of the highintensity sweeteners already present on the market, Sucralose®,Aspartame, Potassium Acesulfame, cyclamate, saccharine can be named aswell known alternatives. However, there is a strong desire by anever-increasing number of consumers for natural or naturally derivedproducts in preference to their artificial counterparts. Thus, it wouldbe highly desirable to provide a product which meets this consumer need.

Within the class of naturally occurring sweeteners, a growing number ofproducts is becoming available. Examples include thaumatin, luo han guo,brazzein, curculin, glycyrrhizin and stevia.

Rhoifolin is a compound found in the juice of citrus bergamia(bergamot). To the best of our knowledge, this compound has never beenidentified as a taste-modifying ingredient for increasing sweetness.

It would also be desirable to reduce the bitterness of certainfoodstuffs and beverages. To the best of our knowledge, rhoifolin hasnever been identified as a taste-modifying ingredient for reducingbitterness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, according to the present invention, there is provided the use of7-[4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl)oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-5-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)chromen-4-one as a tastemodifying ingredient.

For the purposes of the present invention,7-[4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl)oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-5-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)chromen-4-one is alsoreferred to herein as “rhoifolin”.

The invention further provides a taste modifying composition comprisingan effective amount of rhoifolin.

The invention also provides a method of reducing or masking bitternessof a foodstuff or beverage by adding rhoifolin thereto.

The invention also provides a method of increasing the sweetness of afoodstuff or beverage by adding rhoifolin thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In a foodstuff or beverage, rhoifolin may be present in amounts withinthe ranges of from 5 to 300 ppm.

Preferably rhoifolin is present at a concentration of from 5 to 200 ppm,more preferably 5 to 150 ppm, most preferably from 10 to 100 ppm.

Rhoifolin is commercially available and can be purchased from, forexample, Interquim, Spain.

Rhoifolin can be used in a many products where there is a desire toreduce bitterness and/or to increase sweetness. Examples include but arenot limited to tea, coffee, fruit juice and fruit-flavoured beverages,jams and jellies, peanut butter, pies, puddings, cereals, candies, icecreams, yogurts, bakery products; health care products, such astoothpastes, mouthwashes, cough drops, cough syrups; chewing gums; andsugar substitutes.

The invention will now be illustrated with reference to the followingexamples. All amounts are % by weight unless otherwise indicated.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Application of Rhoifolin in Grapefruit Juice

Various samples were prepared using the ingredients shown in the tablebelow (the amounts are % by weight).

TABLE 1 Sample Grapefruit Juice (1) Rhoifolin (2) 5 99.9 0.1 6 99.6 0.47 99.2 0.8 8 98.8 1.2 9 98.4 1.6 10  98.0 2.0 B 100 0 (1) Eco+,purchased at Leclerc, France (2) ex Interquim, Spain

The rhoifolin was weighed into sufficient propylene glycol (PG) to allowfor full dissolution and heated in a water bath at 40° C. for 30 minutesuntil the rhoifolin was fully solubilised. The grapefruit juice was thenmixed with the rhoifolin solution and the mixtures were kept at roomtemperature for 1 hour before sensory tests.

The sensory tests were performed as follows:

6 trained panellists were asked to rate the sweetness, bitterness andflavor intensity of the samples prepared above under blind conditionsusing a 5 point intensity rating scale where 0 indicates no intensityand 5 indicates extremely intense.

Average intensity scores were treated for mean comparison Duncan testingusing a FIZZ statistic software.The results are given in the following table:

TABLE 2 Bitterness Sweetness Flavor Rhoifolin Sample Intensity IntensityIntensity (ppm) B 4.17 2.25 3.50 0 5 3.83 2.42 3.67 5 6 3.33 2.50 3.3320 7 3.08 2.75 3.25 40 8 3.08 3.17 3.08 60 9 2.67 3.50 3.17 80 10  2.334.00 3.33 100

The results demonstrate that addition of rhoifolin reduces bitternessand increased sweetness whilst leaving the flavor intensitysubstantially unchanged.

Example 2 Application of Rhoifolin in a Sucrose-free Coffee Product

Various samples were prepared using the ingredients shown in the tablebelow (the amounts are % by weight).

TABLE 3 Sample Water (1) Instant soluble Coffee (2) Rhoifolin (3) 1 99.40.5 0.1 2 99.55 0.05 0.4 3 98.7 0.5 0.8 4 98.3 0.5 1.2 A 100 0 0 (1)Still Mineral Water, ex Arkina, Switzerland (2) Commercially availableinstant soluble coffee, purchased in Migros, Switzerland (3) exInterquim, Spain

The rhoifolin was weighed into sufficient propylene glycol (PG) to allowfor full dissolution and heated in a water bath at 40° C. for 30 minutesuntil the rhoifolin was fully solubilised. The instant soluble coffeewas weighed and incorporated into the water. Solubilisation was achievedat room temperature.

The mixtures were kept at room temperature for 1 hour before sensorytests.

The sensory tests were performed as follows:

6 trained panellists were asked to rate the sweetness, bitterness andcoffee-like intensity of the samples prepared above under blindconditions using a 5 point intensity rating scale where 0 indicates nointensity and 5 indicates extremely intense.

Average intensity scores were treated for mean comparison Duncan testingusing a FIZZ statistic software.

The results are given in the following table:

TABLE 4 Bitterness Sweetness Coffee-like Rhoifolin Sample IntensityIntensity Intensity (ppm) A 3.33 0.33 2.83 0 1 3.33 0.33 2.83 5 2 2.580.67 2.92 20 3 2.33 1.83 2.75 40 4 2.00 2.58 2.33 60

The results demonstrate that it is preferable that more than 5 ppm ofrhoifolin is present for certain applications.

1.-5. (canceled)
 6. A taste modifying composition comprising from 5 to100 ppm of7-[4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl)oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-5-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)chromen-4-one.
 7. A methodof reducing or masking bitterness of a foodstuff or beverage and/orincreasing the sweetness of a foodstuff or beverage by adding from 5 to100 ppm of 7-[4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl)oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-5-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)chromen-4-one thereto. 8.A method for modifying the taste of a foodstuff or beverage by includingtherein a taste modifying composition that includes7[4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl)oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-5-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) chromen-4-one (rhoifolin)in an amount effective to reduce bitterness or increase sweetness of thefoodstuff or beverage.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the tastemodification comprises reducing bitterness.
 10. The method of claim 8,wherein the taste modification comprises increasing sweetness.
 11. Themethod of claim 8, wherein the taste modifying ingredient is present inan mount from 5 to 300 ppm.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein whereinthe taste modifying ingredient is present in an mount from 5 to 100 ppm.